'Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally' Review: Harry Styles Is Figuring It Out

"Synths zap and drill. Scrapes form into melodies. Squeaks settle into earworm patterns. Even when it is familiar, the references are eccentric. Taste Back features an arpeggiated synthesized intro along the lines of that of The Who's Baba O'Riley. Plus, the melody and phrasing of a verse in Paint By Numbers is more than a little similar to that of Jennifer Lopez's Love Don't Cost a Thing."

"Though Occasionally is not the dance album that its first single, Aperture, and title seemed to predict (only one other track, Carla's Song, has a club-ready BPM), all around there is uncommon depth and detail on the album's low end, a rarity for a pop star vehicle. The bass on Aperture might sound right at home on a giant sound system, which seems to be exactly the point."

"It's tempting to give Styles a pass because Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally feels like a transitional album in a potential trajectory from performer to serious artist. But, like its cumbersome title, the album trips over itself. It's all taste, no nourishment. There is the sense here that Styles wants to show us how he's grown but can't muster the evidence."

Harry Styles's fourth album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, showcases radical and experimental production with unconventional synth work and eclectic musical references ranging from The Who to Aphex Twin. Despite ambitious sonic choices and meticulous low-end detail unusual for mainstream pop, the album feels superficial and transitional. While the production demonstrates technical sophistication and artistic ambition, the record ultimately prioritizes style over substance. The album struggles to deliver genuine evidence of artistic maturation, leaving an impression of stylistic posturing rather than authentic creative evolution or enjoyment.

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